


Is this home?

by catrical



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Multi, Nightmares, Not Canon Compliant, Panic Attacks, Peter Parker & Shuri Friendship, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, What Have I Done, ill add more tags maybe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:15:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25707277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catrical/pseuds/catrical
Summary: There were only three people who really experienced the pain of the snap itself, and none of them were even proper Avengers. The first one, who arguably, was the one most people expected to have trauma. Doctor Strange. The sorcerer had seen all outcomes and all possible actions that could be taken over the next 6 years, he had experienced it all. Felt it all. The next two, were people nobody had expected to be so traumatized by the event. They were heroes yes, but they had been snapped, so all the civilians assumed they were okay. That they hadn't been through much. Oh how wrong they were. How bad would they feel, when they realized, those two were only children? Shuri Udaku, Black Panther's younger sister, and Peter Parker, Queen's own Spiderman.<----0---->tiny sneak-peak-yeah, there's zero logic to any of this. i hope you enjoy it, im trying lol[idk how many chapters there'll be, sorry]
Relationships: Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton/Laura Barton, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Avengers Team, Peter Parker & Shuri, Peter Parker & Stephen Strange, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Shuri & T'Challa (Marvel), Wanda Maximoff/Vision
Comments: 12
Kudos: 78





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hiii- (welcome to chili's)  
> well then- i have no idea how im going to write this, or if ill have a schedule at all, but here we are. enjoy-  
> [I have no idea what to put trigger warnings for, im so sorry... just be careful because i mentio panic attacks and stuff.]

After the war, after everyone had come back from nothing, therapists were slowly becoming the most wanted occupation, and the most used. For many people, it would be that they lost their loved ones or that the world had moved on without them. The Avengers, Earths Mightiest Heroes, had it the worst. They knew the risks, the cause, and why it had all happened. All the humans of New York, no. Of the world, thanked them for what they had done. Only those close to them knew the cost. The moment where everything had finally started to right themselves, when Thanos' army had crumbled to dust before them. When Thor had extracted revenge for Asgard and his family. Iron-Man, no. Tony Stark had gotten the infinity gauntlet and snapped, his life draining away before everyone's eyes. Only Wakanda's tech had saved him from the brink of death, yet he was still so weak after losing his arm.  
-  
The heroes who had lost so many... the heroes who had been trapped in the Soul Stone, left with a crippling guilt, and the ones who had to fight to bring the others back? They were so relieved for their family to have returned to them. The nightmares that plagued them, came often and terrifyingly sudden. It wasnt uncommon to walk into the Compound or Tower kitchen at 3am, and find another sipping tea with a haunted look in their eyes.  
-  
Captain America, more commonly known as Steve Rogers, had Bucky, formerly the Winter Soldier, back. They had each other to hang onto, plus the new addition to their little boy-band, Sam Wilson. A para-rescue medic, and war vet psychologist. They kept each other's spirits high when they were low, and clung onto each other when the nightmares struck.

Clint had his family, and Natasha, he would never had thought it possible when she appeared before him after Tony had snapped, yet there she was. Red hair in a braid over her shoulder and eyes filled with so much relief and gratitude to see her family. It didnt matter if it wasnt by blood. They were family.

Wanda, a girl who had to grow up to fast and had everything ripped from her grip when she had just been given it, now had Vision. No matter what the Stones had done, they had brought Vision back, she had never been more grateful. The duo often crashed at the Barton farm when they weren't traveling the world, or saving them from their own minds. 

Thor... he didnt have Asgard back, nor did he have Mjolnier, but he had Loki, and his newly made friend, Bruce Banner. In return, Dr Banner had Thor. Someone he never had to worry about hurting if he hulk-ed out against his will. Thor was a god, and was able to hold his own against the Hulk.

T'challa, the Black Panther, had lost so much recently, but he wouldnt exchange the world for anything when he got back and was able to hold his fiance, his mother and sister, and his friends in his arms once again. The King had opened Wakanda's borders for trading, and was now managing to cope with what the world threw at him, as long as he could hold his family.

Ant-Man, was able to return to his family, to his daughter after so many years in the Quantum realm. Whenever he woke up from the thought of being trapped there, too small to be saved, gone for too long so he was forgotten, he stumbled into Pym's lab, where the older man made him a cup of coffee without saying a word.

Tony Stark. Iron-Man. Genius, Billionare, Playboy, Philanthropist. The worlds savior. Tony had his faamily; Pepper, Morgan, Rhodey, Happy, Peter, May... and all the Avengers. The man who had wielded the most powerful weapon in existence and had brought back the world to make his family happy, and safe.  
-  
All of them had seen too much, there was bound to be people who remembered more than others. For the civilians? Well, they hardly remembered anything, because they hadnt known what was really going on at that time.  
The heroes who had remained behind, remembered a lot. Not everything, but enough to wake up in a cold sweat and bile rising in their throat. The heroes who had been snapped? They didn't feel anything as their body disintegrated too fast for them to even get a word in edge-wise, but they did remember things. When they left the earth, and when they returned from the Soul Realm. Little to none of them talked about their time in the infinity stone, many believed it was because they didnt know. Others assumed they had forgotten.  
There were only three people who really experienced the pain of the snap itself, and none of them were even proper Avengers. The first one, who arguably, was the one most people expected to have trauma. Doctor Strange. The sorcerer had seen every single outcome and every single possible action that could be taken over the next 6 years, he had experienced it all. Felt it all. The next two, were people nobody had expected to be so traumatized by the event. They were heroes yes, but they had been snapped, so all the civilians assumed they were okay. That they hadn't been through much. Oh how wrong they were. How bad would they feel, when they realized, those two were only children? Shuri Udaku, Black Panther's younger sister, and Peter Parker, Queen's own Spiderman.  
-  
Nobody would know why Shuri remembered everything, if they even knew she remembered it in the first place. Between her and Peter, they had an unspoken assumption that it was because she was deeply involved with both the tech side and magic side of Wakanda and the rest of the world. For Peter? When Spider-Man had first gained his powers, he had gotten enhanced metabolism and heightened senses. If anybody other than Shuri knew about his memories, they would know it was because, his spidey-sense had shrieked at the base of his skull, while his enhanced healing had tried to piece his body back together, particle, by particle. Spider-Man had felt with every single sense of his being, as his body was ripped apart.


	2. Unexpected appearances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back to chapter two of [Catrical doesnt have a life]   
> please enjoy-

Only a few weeks after everything had happened, the Parker family had been rushed to the Compounds med-bay, along with Pepper and Morgan. Tear-stained faces, strained with hope made Peter's throat clog up as they waited for any news on Mr. Stark. While sitting in the chair's outside for what seemed like days, when in reality was only 3 hours, Pepper placed her hand on Peter's shoulder, and May had one arm wrapped around him, the other gently ruffling Morgan's hair as she sat between all three of them. "Tony will be okay," May's voice barely cut through the fog coating Peter's mind. When the door opened, revealing a doctor in light blue scrubs, and a pitiful expression on her face at the sight of Pepper and him, covered in blood and dust, and a crying Morgan cuddled into May's side, Peter jumped up, rushing forward, only slightly ahead of Pepper, "Is... Is he okay?" he asked, voice shaky and unfamiliar to his own ears. The Doctor who he would later learn her name as Dr Cho, smiled at him gently before looking up to Pepper. "He'll be okay, just matching Bucky, I'm sure it will develop into a competition eventually," Dr Cho said as she took Pepper's shaking hand. The meaning of her sentence wasnt lost on them. Only Morgan was standing looking confused.   
Peter had eventually left Tony's side, so his own wounds could be treated, but he hadn't left willingly. The teenager had passed out after learning his mentor would wake up in a few days, so he could finally relax.

Things had been a blur after that, Peter had been treated, still left with many wounds, but not at risk of dying anymore. The Avengers and everyone from their dysfunctional had collected in the newly-fixed Compound common room, with blank gazes and stuttering breaths. Over the next few days, everyone returned to their respective houses. Their homes? They were with each other. Banner, Thor and Loki returned to New Asgard in Norway. T'challa, Shuri, and the Dora Milaje returned to Wakanda, Ant-Man and the Wasp returned to their house somewhere out in the city. Steve and Bucky stayed in the Compound, on their own floor, trying to heal and catch up. Wanda and Vision traveled the world, unable to stay still for too long. Clint and Natasha went to the Barton farm. Spider-Man? For him, Peter and his Aunt May had moved into the now, scarily empty Compound.   
Pepper and May spent all their time, revolving around keeping the unconscious Tony company, or baby-sitting Morgan. Peter wandered around aimlessly, hopelessly lost in his own mind.   
Doctor Strange returned to the Sanctum, but every second day, came back to the Compound. Peter had a theory that he knew about remembering, after all, the sorcerer could read minds.

(Time Skip: 2 1/2 Months.)

Peter had left for class, earlier than usual, not wanting to see his Aunt's worried gaze, or Pepper's understanding one, and he definitely, didnt want to see Morgan's gaze. One filled with such awe and hope it made him choke back a sob, because he didnt deserve it, he hadnt been able to help Mr Stark who was still stuck in a temporary coma. It was easy for him to get lost in his thoughts, he was only pulled out of his self degrading thoughts when Ned rushed up to him and engulfed him in a hug, talking a mile-a-minute. "OhmygodPeter!! I heard what Mr Stark did! Im so sorry! Are you okay??!! All the new's stories are covering what the Avengers did! And almost everyone in our grade was snapped! Only about 7 of us are still in this grade! Were you there??? What really happened??" Peter just looked up slowly as Ned stepped back, meeting his friend's worried look with a blank stare. Trying to ignore the panic that set in when he thought of Thanos and the war. "I-...can't-" he took a shaky breath "-sorry." Peter said, but was saved from having to talk more when MJ ran to them, which was almost as much emotion as she'd show. Realizing what was happening she gently laid a hand on Ned's shoulder, "Peter does not need to talk about it. He's been through a lot," she said firmly, her voice lowering at the second sentence.   
Both his friends nodded and they turned to walk into the school. It turned out, the only people in his grade who hadnt been snapped were, him, Ned, MJ, Betty, Abe, a cheerleader, and Flash. Peter rolled his eyes when he figured out his high-school bully was still in the same grade as him. "The world nearly dies and I still have to deal with him," Peter said, throwing an exaggerated glance at Flash. MJ threw a pencil at him, when he made the joke, "Nice one, loser," she said with a slight smirk. Peter tried to smile at her, but then realized what the implications of his sentence had been.

Images ran through his mind, as his heart rate increased. *The ship... no! Everyone was disappearing,,, The magical doctor? Flying through portals, everyone disappearing with the wind, again and again. His own body slowly blowing away...* the teen was brought out of his racing thoughts by someone flicking his ear. Peter turned to see Betty standing above him, when had he moved to the floor. When his thoughts returned to why Betty was there, she smiled at him. "I'm sorry about that, Its the only way I know how to stop someone from dissociating," she admitted, while Ned looked over her shoulder. Peter shook his head and shakily slipped back into his chair, "Thank you..." he said hoarsely.   
It turned into a bit of a pattern, everyday, Peter left for school before anyone else woke up, if he started panicking at school, MJ, Ned, Betty, Abe, and surprisingly even Flash, would either pinch or flick him, to bring him out of his spiral of memories. Nobody mentioned it, they knew it was hard. Especially since he 'interned' with the Avengers. Then after school he would patrol, in his old suit, everytime he tried to put on the Iron Spider he had a panic attack. Then he returned home, the Avengers Compound, where he probably saw Steve or Bucky in the kitchen before he returned to his floor. There he went and checked up on Mr Stark in the med bay before saying hello to the rest of his small family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> adios, people whop have decided to this ooc story thats chipping away at my soul.  
> hope you enjoyed it


	3. Spider-Man returns.. with a stab wound?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, thanks for checking in, im *still* a piece of garbage~  
> i have no clue, dont ask me  
> when the author is as confused as you are-

Not even two weeks after he had fallen into this routine did Peter discover something strange [hehe] on patrol. Spider-Man had been swinging around Queen's for around four hours when he noticed a strange man with a dark crumbly mark on his temple. Peter dropped down onto the roof of the building where the man had entered. "Hey Karen?" he asked quietly. "Hello, Peter. How may I help you?" she replied, her voice cool and collected. "Can you scan facial recognition on that man please?" Peter asked, he sat back and waited while Karen ran through her records. Even though he was expecting it, Peter still jumped when she replied. "I do not have any record of him. I do, however know that the building next to us belong's to Doctor Strange." Peter nodded and slipped down to one of the windows of the house across the street of the Sanctum, once inside he huffed out a breath and walked around the rooms. Looking for the man he had dubbed, "Voldemort," due to the fact they were next to the wizard gang. Rounding a corner, he felt his Spidey-sense buzz, so he ducked down and looked for the cause. "Voldemort" was standing cross from him, brandishing a golden glowing sword. Peter yelped, "I prefer you without a sword and a nose!" he exclaimed, falling back into the familiar snark that seemingly came when he put on the suit. Voldemort just charged at him with the sword, with nowhere else to go, Peter leapt out the window he had entered. Unsurprisingly, Voldemort didnt follow, but what was surprising was the fact that he appeared on the ground almost immediately. "Yikes man! I need to learn how to do that!" he quipped, shooting a web at the man, who slashed it out of the air with his light-sword. Peter hopped down to fight the man, hand to hand... well more like, hand to sword but oh well. After Peter had landed a few good punches, 'Voldemort' threw away his sword and kicked Peter, hard, in the chest.  
Sending him crashing into the doors of the Sanctum, and in turn, leaving him stunned and unguarded. The villian- criminal. this is not a movie, Peter reprimanded in his head, -charged at him, a new sword blazing in his hand. The base of his neck buzzed, but before Peter could even gather up the stamina to move out the way, the sword went clean through his shoulder.  
<\----0---->  
(Meanwhile, deep in the library of the Sanctum sat Wong, headphones on and the newest Beyonce song blasting through the headset. The librarian was unaware of what Spider-Man was doing to keep the rogue sorcerer out of the building. Stephen Strange was floating in the Sanctum common-room when he heard a scream radiating from outside the building. Shaking out the stiffness of his limbs and shaking hands, he beckoned to his Cloak and raced outside. Towards the origin of the scream.)  
<\----0---->  
Peter screamed, as the man with drew the sword and prepared to strike again. It wasnt like a normal stab-wound. (Yes, normal. He was a vigilante, he got stabbed all the time!) This wound stung and burned as if he had been stabbed with liquid fire. Voldemort braced himself to take and slash at the red-and-blue hero, but his sword was blocked. The shield that covered him looked a whole lot like the same substance of the sword, but before any more thoughts could process, his vision went dark and he passed out.  
<\----0---->  
Stephen was used to weird, he was used to rogue sorcerers, if he really thought about it, he doubted anything could shock him, yet nothing prepared him to see Spider-Man sprawled on the steps, bleeding out of a stab wound while a sorcerer tried to kill him. Without even thinking about it, he raised a shield and dropped the rogue through a portal, straight into the dimension he currently used as his prison for sorcerers like him. The former neurosurgeon walked forward and scooped the limp Spider-Man into his arms and walked back into the Sanctum, planning on treating his shoulder. Normally he wouldnt care so much, but he had seen how much the vigilante had been through, and he had his suspicions about the boy's memories.

As he entered through the large wooden doors, he huffed out a surprised noise, walking at a faster pace before so he could lay the Spider-Man on the common room couch. The Sorcerer Supreme's hands hovered over the slender body of the teenager, and eventually he made the quick decision and tugged off the kid's mask. Doctor Strange had seen Spider-Man without a mask but he still drew in an involuntary breath when he saw how young the vigilante really was. Brushing aside his thoughts the Doctor used his magic to check there was no curse or poison radiating from the wound before cleaning it out and wrapping Peter's chest and shoulder with gauze to stop the bleeding. The man then sent his Cloak down to fetch Wong, and collapsed in the armchair across from the boy to keep an eye on him.  
<\----0---->  
Peter woke slowly, his mind rising out of the fog like the sun on a warm day, his eyes fluttered open and immediately closed when he realized he wasnt wearing the mask and therefor the light wasnt dimmed according to his enhanced senses. It took a moment for him to realize why he should be wearing his mask, and why he wasnt dead, because the last thing he remembered was the sorcerer trying to kill him... wait! Peter rocketed up into a sitting position ignoring the pain in his shoulder and the scarred hand that tried to push him down again. Peter ignored the light that pierced his eyes and started a headache, instead choosing to see who was next to him. Peter relaxed when he realized it was Doctor Strange. The man looked concerned. "I... thank you?" Peter said, assuming the only reason he was here because Doctor Strange had saved him, and he wasnt wrong. Stephen looked at him curiously before seeming to shrug it off and gave him a small smile, "Hey Spider-Man. How are you feeling?" he asked, slipping into Doctor-Mode™️ seamlessly. Now that Peter was more awake and slightly more lucid, he looked slightly shadowed and tired. Ignoring the Doctor's question he winced a little, "May and Pepper are going to be worried about me," he whispered, voice rough and guilty, it was obvious he felt bad for them. Doctor Strange sighed a little, "I can take you to the Compound, I just wanted to make sure you were okay, Mr. Parker." he said with an encouraging smile. Peter looked at him, something akin to relief in his brown eyes, "Thank you Doctor Strange, sir, and please call me Peter." he said with a tentative smile. Strange nodded and stood with a quick stretch, slipping his sling-ring on and opening a portal into the Compound common-room. Peter grabbed his mask and stood up awkwardly, giving Doctor Strange another grateful nod before stepping through the portal, before it closed he thought he heard a, "Stay safe, Peter." slipping in but he couldnt be sure.


	4. The power of... well- everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back, punks. [im kidding i love you all]   
> i still have no clue what im doing :)

Almost as soon as his feet touched down on the carpeted floor, he was swallowed in a hug by May. Peter tried to hide it, but he did flinch. Ever since the... war, he had been cautious of any sort of physical contact. Anything he wasn't expecting either threw him into an anxiety attack, and his regret resurfaced after his mid-battled hug, and if he had just gotten the damn gauntlet of Thanos' hand then Mr. Stark wouldnt be- his thoughts were cut off by May pulling back and studying him with critical eyes. "I was worried," she murmured, stepping back and roving her eyes up and down, halting a little when she noticed the gauze poking over the sweater he had borrowed from Doctor Strange. "Oh honey..." she trailed off and leaned forward to peck him on the forehead. Peter held still but felt himself relax minutely as she leaned away. "I'll go tell Pepper, you're back." In that moment, Peter had never been so glad to have an Aunt who understood his unwillingness to explain what happened. "Thanks, May..." he said softly, dredging up every speck of sincerity he had and pouring it into his smile. May just nodded and left the room, heading to wherever Pepper was. Presumably the med-bay.  
Peter sighed and dragged himself to his bedroom down the hall. The room had deep grey walls, with muted blue black-out curtains and a large bed in the corner. The walls were covered in all sorts of Star Wars and Avengers paraphernalia. In the middle of one wall was his desk, Peter trudged towards it and dropped his suit on the edge where he could clean it later. Strewn all across his desk where papers filled with equations and mechanical pencils running out of lead. Peter sighed and collapsed on the bed, for once actually wanting to sleep. Usually he avoided it for fear of the night terror's return. Yet tonight, after having being stabbed by magic, and having pain all throughout his arm and shoulder, he just wanted sleep.

Apparently, Parker Luck™️ decided to rear its ugly head, and no less than two hours later, Peter woke up with a muffled scream, hand clamped over his mouth. It wasn't necessary, all the rooms were soundproofed for that exact reason. Night terrors practically came with the job of being a hero/vigilante. Peter gasped and clambered out of bed, his breath coming in heaving gasps as he collapsed in his desk chair, one hand braced against his still-injured shoulder. Friday's voice cut through his rambling thoughts, and Peter listened to her speak, even thought he knew what she would say. "Peter, it appears you are in distress, and your heartrate is higher than normal. Would you like me to contact someone?" "No thanks, Fri." he rasped. Peter didnt want to bother anyone. Between Pepper and May, he doubted they had enough down-time, and Morgan was just a child, she didnt need to be burdened by him. Steve and Bucky were probably asleep, and they had their own nightmares, so disturbing their rest would make him feel even worse. Slowly, the teenager opened his laptop, checking the time he sighed. It was only 01:00AM, so, shooting a quick text to his group with Ned and MJ, he dragged his cursor over the many apps on his Stark-Laptop. Not even two-minutes later, a text appeared in the corner of his screen. Peter clicked on it, and allowed the message to wash over his head while he tried to drag himself away from another panic-attack. The text was from Ned.  
-  
Losers. (And MJ)  
Peter at 12:59PM:   
Anyone else wishing they could yeet something themselves through a window?  
Ned at 01:02AM:  
Right now? I think my mom will when i end up failing Spanish class...  
Peter at 01:02AM:  
mood  
-  
Both MJ and Ned knew what really happened, after his first day of school, May had rung them up and explained everything she knew. They knew about his anxiety and panic, and his night-terrors, but they didnt treat him like glass. Which he appreciated. They would play along when he said something stupid, and if he was serious, they would call him and try to help. Generally, hearing their voices made him hold on for a few moments until he could talk to someone, mainly Karen. About what happened. Not only was Karen programmed to understand, she didnt pry. Which once again, made him eternally grateful to Mr. Stark for making such a wonderful AI.   
Peter sighed and leaned back again, rubbing his free hand over his face. Deciding that braving the main kitchen might help his nerves, Peter climbed up again and opened his door as quietly as he could. Peter let his body stumble towards the kitchen, once he reached it, he leaned against the wall and opened his mouth to speak, "Hey, Fri? Please turn lights on to 4%." Friday complied without a word and immediately the lights flickered to life, too dark for a normal human but light enough for his eyes to adjust. Once they had, he opened the fridge and drew out the milk, pouring himself a glass and sitting at the counter. Peter didnt know how long he sat there, staring out through the windows of the common room. From where he was sitting, he could see into the common room, which was connected to the kitchen. When he had finished his fourth? fifth? glass of milk, he headed back to his room. Planning on scrolling through his Reddit and Youtube feed until he could get ready for Friday. Well technically it was already Friday, and not the AI.

When Peter was once again settled in his desk chair, he went back to the group chat after seeing it had a new message. Opening the tab, he read the message and chuckled. 

Losers. (And MJ)  
Peter at 12:59PM:  
Anyone else wishing they could yeet something themselves through a window?  
Ned at 01:02AM:  
Right now? I think my mom will when i end up failing Spanish class...  
Peter at 01:02AM:  
mood  
MJ at 04:23AM:  
I have three points. 1.) You should be sleeping. 2.) Its called defenestration, 3.) Peter, go check out the user called @Shuruwu , she's a Gen Z kid, genius to rival you, and apparently she's in the same situation as you.  
Peter at 04:38AM:  
1.) Never, 2.) thats just weird, and 3.) I'll check the account out. Why you'd suggest that, i dont know. Why not suggest her to Ned? he needs a gf.  
-  
Peter sighed, he seemed to be doing that a lot lately, and got up, tugging one of Mr. Stark's old MIT sweatshirts on, along with a pair of ripped jeans and red VANS. Might as well get ready for school at the crack of dawn. Now that he was done procrastinating, yet being productive, he shut his computer and took out his phone. Scrolling through the search results until he found the person MJ had told him about. MJ had been right, the girl's account was filled with vine references and science, and the tech. Oh god, the tech. It was so advanced he was almost drooling at the prospect of even being allowed to touch it. Only when his sleep deprived brain caught up with him, did he realize the account was filled with videos of a girl who looked around 17, and an older man he assumed to be her brother. The man looked suspiciously like T'challa... "Shit!" Peter exclaimed, realizing the man in the videos, was T'challa. This must be Shuri... Peter had heard about her in passing. Pulling up the message screen, he typed out a message. Erased it. Typed out a new one. Erased it. Typed another out, then he gave up and just sent it.  
-  
(New DM between @Shuruwu & @PeterWithaB)  
@PeterWithaB:  
Uhh yeah, hi. Don't really know why I'm sending this but- here we are. I'm Peter... I sort of met your brother, when all the shit went down, and i must say, your tech is to die for. I don't really know if you'll see this, but if you do... I'd love to be friends.  
-  
Waiting another two hours was painful. Peter had paced all over his room and accidentally gotten footprints on the ceiling, his message to Shuri had kind of been lame, but he knew she would understand all the stupid night terrors he got. Not that he was trying to exploit her! he just really needed a superhero-ing partner around his age. When the clock finally struck 07:00AM, Peter bolted out, grabbing his bag and slinging it onto his now fully healed shoulder. School was terrible, but it gave him a reason to get out of his family's hair for a bit. Today, school was a nightmare, all his classes were about easy things so it gave his mind an excuse to wander off. Which was a terrible thing, it gave him too much time to think. Think about Mr. Stark holding him as his body slowly gave away... the orange dusty hell he had awoken in... the emptiness... coming back to Mr. Stark and May and the rest of the Avengers... except they weren't the Avengers. They had split apart when Tony hadn't woken up. After all, he was the glue that kept them together, and now he was lying pale and weak in the infirmary, all because he couldnt get the damn gauntlet off in the first pla- a ding snapped him back to the present.  
-  
Peter felt Ned's concerned gaze on him as he fished his phone out of his pocket, he wasn't going to get in trouble; he had already finished the school work. Peter was still stuck half-way between awareness and his blank auto-pilot mode when he realized who the message was from.  
(New DM between @Shuruwu & @PeterWithaB)  
@PeterWithaB:  
Uhh yeah, hi. Don't really know why I'm sending this but- here we are. I'm Peter... I sort of met your brother, when all the shit went down, and i must say, your tech is to die for. I don't really know if you'll see this, but if you do... I'd love to be friends.  
@Shuruwu  
Ahh, the famed Spider-boy. My brother keeps bringing you up, and i have titled you Broken White Boy #2. We can have matching t-shirts, Broken Black Girl #2 and Broken White Boy #2.  
-  
Despite the strangeness of the text, Peter felt himself smile, dragging him out of the slightly blank space he had been in. The spider-themed hero could just tell that he and Shuri would get on well. Screw well, amazingly.   
-  
(New DM between @Shuruwu & @PeterWithaB)  
@PeterWithaB:  
Uhh yeah, hi. Don't really know why I'm sending this but- here we are. I'm Peter... I sort of met your brother, when all the shit went down, and i must say, your tech is to die for. I don't really know if you'll see this, but if you do... I'd love to be friends.  
@Shuruwu  
Ahh, the famed Spider-boy. My brother keeps bringing you up, and i have titled you Broken White Boy #2. We can have matching t-shirts, Brocken Black Girl #2 and Broken White Boy #2.  
@PeterWithaB  
i'd claim Bucky as our mascot, but I'm pretty sure we'd die before managing that.  
-  
Peter smiled again, feeling slightly better than before now that he had someone to talk to. Someone who actually understood what it was like to be a 'hero'. As much as he loved Ned and MJ they could only understand and help with so much.  
Over the next few weeks, as Mr. Stark slowly grew closer to waking up, Peter and Shuri's friendship had grown. Since the time difference of the countries was so different, they never felt bad if they voice-called each after a particularly bad one. They weren't worried about waking each other up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well there ya have it folks. i hope you enjoyed it. :3


	5. welcome back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the plot is getting faster,,,, yall ready for an absolute mess of writing?

It was a Friday morning when Peter was sitting in Physics, trying to focus on the last few questions of his pop-quiz. The teen finished the test with a small flourish and allowed himself to be filled with a bit of pride at finishing so quickly. Of course, not even his Friday was allowed to be normal. The intercom crackled and all the students looked up from their sheets of paper, to stare around. They never got announcements during tests.   
"Peter Parker, come to the main office now! Ms. Potts is here to collect you." The receptionists voice was frantic, and once he heard Ms. Potts was there, he leaped up, grabbing his packed bag and sprinted out the door. Ignoring all the questions from his classmates and teacher alike, because there was only one reason he would be called out in the middle of the day.   
Peter's theory was proved correct when he saw Pepper with a bright and hopeful smile on her face, unable to stop it, he felt a sob rise in his throat. They didnt say anything as the car sped back.   
When they finally arrived at the Compound, Peter was out of the car and running before it before it stopped. His feet pounded on the floor in a steady thump thump thump, Peter could feel his heartbeat in his ears when he eventually threw open the medbay door. Mr. Stark was sitting up... staring at him with tear-filled eyes. After a split-second of hesitation, he careened forward, wrapping his arms around his mentor, letting out a sob because, Mr. Stark was finally awake... he was okay... they were home. Mr. Stark ran his flesh hand through Peter's hair, murmuring apologies. "I've missed you... so much," Peter managed to say before his throat closed up again, and he just relaxed in his pseudo-dad's arms. "I'm home, buddy... we're home." Tony said, seeming content to sit there, just enjoying the presence of one another. So that's what they did. For the next few hours, and late into the night, they stayed with each other. For the first time in a while, Peter slept.  
-  
When Peter woke up, he was still lying next to Mr Stark on the hospital bed. The man in question was already up and talking to his wife, the love in his eyes clear to everyone around them. Apparently, while Peter had been asleep, the resident super-soldier duo had come to visit, and almost all the others had called. Peter basked in the sheer domesticity of the scene, before climbing up. "I'll be on patrol for the next few hours, call me if you need me," he told Mr Stark with a nervous grin, because as much as he wanted to stay, New York needed Spider-Man. "Sure, kiddo. Stay safe," the man ruffled his hair before leaning back against the pillow to talk with Morgan.  
-  
Over the next few months, Mr Stark slowly got better and better until he could walk by himself. Peter and him regularly spent time in the labs, where they worked on upgrading Mr Starks prosthesis. Not once did they bring up the topic of the war. Peter knew Mr Stark still woke up from nightmares, hell, he barely managed to sleep two hours without one. Things were better. Not perfect, but better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I KNOW ITS SHORT PLEASE DONT YELL AT ME  
> it just makes more chronological sense in the long run. trust me-


	6. a short vacation and everything goes wrong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im actually losing faith in myself-

Peter groaned and leaned against his locker dramatically, he was just about to head to his last class of the day, but exams were coming up, and he felt every teens dread seeping into him from the hallways and classrooms. "If you groan one more time, I will cut off your tongue, Parker," MJ warned him, waving her pencil like a conductors baton. "Yeah! C'mon dude, you're smarter than everyone here. There's no way you'll fail," Ned told him energetically. Peter glared at them "I still have to take the test though-" he complained, moving towards Spanish class. The other two just stared at him blankly, they couldnt imagine why he was so upset, they still had to study to get good marks. Chuckling to themselves, they went and sat donw. Preparing to suffer at the hands of their teacher for the next 40 minutes.  
-  
As the shrill bell signaled the end of the day, the curly-haired teen climbed up and packed away his books, trying not to wince as the sound of the bell grated against his ears. The past weeks had fallen into a comforting pattern, he had felt like he could breathe freely for a while, but now that Mr Stark was planning on leaving the Compound, that evening no less, for a small holiday with Pepper and Morgan, had Peter lapsing back into his state of constant anxiety. The family had decided to go on a small holiday to get away from the 'battle-ground'. Peter knew Tony and Pepper deserved it, but every time the thought entered his head, he felt a stinging sensation of worry prick him, he tried his best to ignore it. The general chatter of the school as they left the grounds was lulling him back into his thoughts. Only when he was halfway down the street did he realize he could only patrol for a short while before returning to see Mr. Stark off. So that's exactly what Peter, (read: Spider-Man) did for the next hour, before swinging all the way upstate.   
The teen climbed in through the window in the penthouse before changing out of his suit. "Hey, Friday? Can you please tell everyone I'm home?" he asked, looking up at the ceiling with a half smile. Not even a second later, the AI replied. "They have already been alerted Peter. They are on their way." If AI's could sound soft, FRIDAY definitely would have. Nobody would admit it but she had a soft spot for the teen.   
True to her word, Mr. Stark appeared in the doorway a moment later, his red and gold prosthetic gleaming in the afternoon sun. "Hey Pete!" the man greeted warmly, walking forward. Tony didn't make any move to initiate physical contact, he understood Peter's reluctance about it. "Hey Mr. Stark," Peter chirped, smiling at him brightly, trying to ignore the tension that stiffened his shoulders, he couldn't ruin the trip for them. They needed a break.  
-  
The next few moments were filled with hugs, (between Morgan and May) and lots of sappy goodbyes. Morgan's childish giggles were almost enough to put him at ease. Crouching down he beckoned the little girl to him, "Hey Morgan?" he whispered, leaning in like he was about to tell her a secret. "Look after, Dad, ok?" he stage-whispered. "Of course, Petey!" she giggled and wrapped her arms around Tony's legs. Then, they finally left, driving away while May returned to work and Peter left to go on patrol.  
-  
Since his curfew was a lot later than normal, Peter decided to go a bit further than his normal area in Queen's. "Hey, Karen? Got anything new for me tonight?" Spider-Man asked while checking the small clock in the corner of his screen which currently read; 09:07PM. Great, he had about 6 hours before he had to start returning. "There seems to be a break-in down the road, Peter. I would advise you to be careful, the perpetrator seems to be holding a bomb. Most likely for a hostage situation." Peter nearly fell off the roof he was standing on, "I- what?" he asked lamely, his body springing into action as he swung towards where Karen had pointed out. The vigilante dropped onto the neighboring rooftop and stopped to assess the situation, his AI had been right. The man was standing in front of a bank, holding a black box, which he assumed was the bomb. Peter leapt down before the man had the chance to enter and shot a web at the box/bomb thing, "Ill take this- yoink!"   
The criminal paled at the sight of Spider-Man, before the teen could approach and web him up, the man dug in his pockets and pulled out a remote, pressing a button. The box that had been cradled in his arms opened, and all Peter caught sight of was a sickly green gas before he started coughing. Peter dropped the box and he felt his chest closing up, he clumsily shot a web, somehow managing the stick the man to a lightpole before catapulting himself up into the air, so he could pass out in secret.  
The last thing he wanted was for someone to find out his secret identity. When the 'poison' still had no signs of relenting, even with his heightened metabolism, Peter asked Karen for a diagnostics scan. "It appears the toxin in your system has magic elements, that stops it from wearing out. I would suggest immediate attention from a magic user. Optimum choice: Doctor Stephen Strange." Karen's cool voice was too normal for his situation, and against his better judgement, Spider-Man swung towards the Sanctum before the magic could make him pass out, or worse, die.  
<\----0---->  
The last time Stephen Strange had seen Peter Parker, was when he had sent him through a portal back to his home. The sorcerer hadn't expected to see him again, no less when the aforementioned vigilante crashed through a window, breaths coming in stuttering gasps, and a faint green glow surrounding the kid's throat. Strange wasted no time in coming to kneel at his side, fingers hovering above the teen as he clawed at his throat, trying to breathe. Doctor Strange pulled Peter's mask off and muttered a few words, before watching the mist disperse and watching Peter take in a few heaving breaths of air. "You certainly enjoy coming here injured," he remarked, smiling to let the kid know he wasn't offended. Peter just gave him a tired smile and flopped back on the floor of the Sanctum entry hall. "Blame it on the fact that you're the best sorcerer around," he chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and now my dudes, we have reached where i am losing motivation.  
> pretend ill be a responsible loser and will have it ready soon-ish  
> adios for now my cowardly friends  
> [i still love yall]  
> [2.0- please dont kill me]


	7. the bright (but dumb) plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am back in the land of the living, because dead men dont tell tales. [hehe]   
> i legit wrote this tiny chapter because i can. its short but im trying.

Peter groaned and leaned back, lying star-fished on the cold floor of the Sanctum's lobby. Dr. Strange sent him an amused look, before getting up and heading towards the lounge of the house. Peter got up, standing tentatively to check if the poison had been his only ailment. "I feel violated," he stated suddenly, grabbing his mask and following the former neurosurgeon to the couches. 

The sorcerer raised an eyebrow and handed him a cup that smelled suspiciously like hot chocolate. Peter shrugged off the thought of how quickly the older man had conjured it and took a sip of the hot beverage, finding it a very pleasant temperature. "I mean... every time I've been attacked by a magic-user, I ended up here. I feel like someone's trying to target me, but failing. Spectacularly." Peter clarified, sitting on one of the plush couches and waiting to see if Strange would too. Stephen relented and sat in the arm chair across from Peter, "I don't mind the company, but I would prefer if you drop in, *uninjured*." he told him with a small smile and a raised brow. The teenager shrugged again, and studied the room they were in. It was the same one where he had been patched up from his incident with the sword-wizard. The lounge had several couches and armchairs facing a huge fireplace and a wooden coffee table in the centre. 

The two settled into a comfortable silence, and for a while they sat there and drank their cocoas. The only sound was the crackling of the fire, which didn't seem to actually affect the temperature of the room. It was perfectly moderate. A small `ding` interrupted their conversation, Peter pulled out his phone and gave a small smile when he saw the messages from Shuri. Ignoring Doctor Strange's curious look for the moment, he tapped out a reply to his friend. Only when Peter was done did he turn back to his host, "I may have accidentally befriended the Princess of Wakanda and bonded with her through memes and vines," he admitted sheepishly.

Doctor Strange didn't look very surprised, but he did narrow his eyes. Peter's sentence held more than what met the eye. The doctor was even less surprised when Peter's face suddenly fell and he whispered so softly, he had trouble hearing it. "Do... do you ever remember?" Peter asked. It wasn't hard to puzzle out what he was really asking, taking into consideration Peter's tone of voice and the paleness of his skin, that had been flushed with color only moments ago.

Peter watched as Doctor Strange formulated a way to answer, and when he did, Peter couldn't find it in his heart to feel anything other than sadness, "All the time."   
Peter hugged his mug of hot chocolate closer to his chest as he frowned, "I don't get it..." he mumbled, his breath hitching slightly, "Why do *I* remember? Even-...even Mr. Stark doesn't remember half the stuff I do... and...-" the words went unsaid, but it was clear that Peter didn't want to worry his mentor with memories he could go without. 

It was clear that this conversation hadn't meant to be brought up, but if Peter kept it to himself any longer he felt as though he would explode. Speaking with Shuri had eased some of his stress, but they both had problems. They both desperately needed someone they could rely on without feeling guilty of causing them unnecessary worry. (Although they would argue, that yes it was necessary, the two didn't want to burden their already burdened family.) 

Peter waited and held his breath, the fear that he brought up something his newfound friend didnt want to bring up, but his fears were appeased when the man answered, "I was aware... of both your situation, and the Princess of Wakanda's... and I have my theory as to why-" Strange halted for a moment before he began to speak again, "-I am always willing to talk to you two about it." he finished.

Peter's heart picked up slightly and he had to mentally remind himself to breathe, as he listened to Doctor Strange. "Thank you," he murmured, almost imperceptibly. The teenaged vigilante wouldnt talk now, but now he had someone to rely on. Peter refused to bring Mr Stark into this, and he wouldn't worry May, Pepper and his friends either. Shuri and Doctor Strange understood, because they felt it too.

Peter's mind almost skipped something so smart and, cool that when he thought of it, he choked on his hot chocolate. Doctor Strange looked up, concerned, but Peter was already bounding to his feet and grabbing wildly for his phone.   
When he reached it he swiped through all his apps so fast it was a blur, until he finally reached the conversation he was looking for.  
-  
[@Shuruwu | @PeterWithaB]

@PeterWithaB:  
SHURIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII  
@Shuruwu:  
w o t  
@PeterWithaB:  
soiforgotthatikindofknowdrstrangeandwecouldtotallyconvincehimtoportalyouhere  
@PeterWithaB:  
andtchallawouldneverknow  
@Shuruwu:  
PETER YOU GENIUS WHITE BOY  
-  
Peter looked up and leapt across the coffee table, barely avoiding the mugs they had set down. The teen landed right in front of Doctor Strange and smiled at him brightly, a far cry from the scared expression he had held earlier. "Mister Doctor Strange," Peter said, basically vibrating with excitement. "Peter," the man acknowledged with a confused smile, electing to ignore the titles in his name. 

"Could you do me and Shuri a *huge* favour? Pleeeeeeeeeeaaaaase?" he asked, his brown eyes wide and pleading. Doctor Strange sighed, and covered his face with a scarred hand, taking the opportunity to hide his fond smile. "Fine child,what is it?" he finally relinquished to Peter's eager request. 

Peter hopped up and gave a little dance of victory, "Mr Stark is away until next weekend. And King T'Challa is visiting some foreign business people..." he trailed off and waggled his eyebrows at Doctor Strange. "That means Shuri and I can meet up- *if* you teleport her here... and we cant stay at the Compound because the others are there-" Peter took a quick breath, "-so could you please portal Shuri here and allow us to stay the weekend in th Sanctum so we can meet?" he asked in one final rush.

<[That was how Strange and a confused Wong became babysitters for 3 days.]>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I KNOW IT ENDS WEIRDLY BUT ILL FIX IT NEXT CHAPTER  
> thanks for reading, and im sorry its short.  
> please leave me a comment telling me if you enjoyed it~  
> catrical shall now resume being lazy


	8. getting settled (with family)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA  
> well then. this story is going, not well, but going.  
> enjoy :)

The next week was more monotonous than normal for Peter, he was finally going to meet Shuri on Friday!! But it was only Wednesday...  
Peter slammed the door of his locker shut, grumbling to himself as he made his over to MJ's locker. Their new designated meeting spot.  
Seeing how Ned was already waiting there for them, he draped himself over his friend with a dramatic sigh. "Peter. Do not act like this is torture. You get to meet the freaking Princess of Wakanda and all you can do is mope because you have to wait,," Ned said teasingly, shoving him a little while they waited for Michelle.

Peter just stuck his tongue out at him, pouting when MJ finally appeared behind them. "Incase you haven't noticed. Class starts soon, and we have English, so get moving." she said, shooing them towards their class while she followed. Once they had settled in the back, the trio turned their chairs towards each other and began to speak in hushed whispers. Todays English work was just watching a movie, and they had all seen it before when May had dragged them to the cinema. 

"Are you, Peter Benjamin Parker, telling me you're going to hideout at a wizards house, with a real life princess, w i t h o u t telling your guardians?" Ned asked, eyebrows furrowed and eyes shining. Peter looked awkward at the statement his friend had just made, shifting on his chair. "Doctor Strange said we could stay the weekend because Mr Stark is away with his family, and May needs some alone time. AND I get to meet my online friend." he murmured. MJ snorted quietly and whacked Peter upside the head with her notebook.   
"Stop being so selfless and just have fun, dork." she told him with a small curl on her lips.   
Ned gaped at MJ, muttering "she's smiling," over and over to himself. Peter couldn't stop himself from letting out a small bout of laughter as he got elbowed in the ribs by the aforementioned friend.

The rest of Wednesday and Thursday passed in a blur and Friday dawned clear and slightly cold. Peter was up at his normal time but for once it was out of excitement instead of trepidation.   
The teenager rushed to the bathroom and brushed his teeth in a hurry, throwing on a tshirt that had the symbol for Helium three times in succession and was titled laughing gas. Peter threw on a deep red flannel afterwards and rushed to find the bag he'd picked for staying at the Sanctum over the weekend.   
The plan was that after school, Peter would head over to Doctor Strange's and he would portal Shuri, who had her own bag. The Sorcerer had allowed them free rein as long as they didn't touch anything without permission. Wong had begrudgingly allowed them to camp over in the main lounge.

Peter was practically vibrating with excitement by the time he entered his first class, a grin on his face. Ned chuckled and waved him over to the desk he was sitting at. "You look like someone's drugged you man. on happiness," Ned added, reaching out to perform their secret handshake, which had recently been perfected. They spent the rest of the class chatting quietly, because they had already finished the assigned work.   
The next time they met up was at lunch, where MJ was seated across from them, reading a book titled, something to do with Sherlock Holmes. Over lunch they discussed what movies Peter had picked out for him and Shuri. It was an odd collection of Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks and some other franchises.

At the end of the day, Peter was out of his seat before anybody else had even registered the bell. The kid ran out of school, hastily apologizing to anybody he nearly barreled over. Peter ducked into in alley and after making sure he was alone, he changed into the Spider-suit so he could head downtown. After stopping a few petty thefts and a runaway car, he finally landed on the roof of the Sanctum with his backpack.   
Once again he changed, this time into civilian clothing before dropping down and knocking on the thick wooden door that barred the entrance.  
A moment later, Wong opened the door. Seeing Peter, he stepped aside and allowed the arachnid-themed vigilante to come inside. Peter walked in and greeted Wong, "Hey Mr. Wong!!" he chirped. Wong snorted at the honorific in his name before turning around and leading Peter to the lounge. "Don't believe whatever Strange says, but he's been waiting for you all day," Wong said, bemused.   
They finally reached the lounge which looked the same as before except it had cushions and blankets strewn all over.

Peter smiled at Wong and slipped his backpack off and sitting on one of the couches, taking a moment to stare around in awe.  
Strange floated in the room about 5 minutes later, he looked at Peter who was already sitting and doing his home work with a fond smile. Then he nudged the oblivious boy with his knee, "Hey kid, you want to check if she's ready?" he asked. peter looked up at Doctor Strange with a lofty smile "Yessir!" he said and grabbed his phone to text Shuri.  
-  
[@Shuruwu | @PeterWithaB]

@Shuruwu:  
i am bored spider-child. b o r e d.  
@PeterWithaB:  
are ye ready kids????  
@Shuruwu  
...  
dont you know it. tell Strange to open the damn portal fren.  
@PeterWithaB:  
aye aye captain :D  
-

Peter snorted and looked up to give Doctor Strange a thumbs up, before climbing up and nervously rocking back and forth on his heels.

The orange sparkling glow of the portal widened until it reached full form and height, and out stepped a dark-skinned teenager with two space buns and a patterned undercut.  
Peter's breath came out in a huff as he rushed towards the girl, when Shuri saw him coming she opened her arms and hugged him tightly. "Hey Spidey," she said with a huge grin, stepping back to gaze around the comfortable room. The princess gave a two-fingered salute to Doctor Strange and dumped her bag on the floor.  
Peter grinned and felt his face flush with excitement, "Shuri." he said, catching her attention, he'd been wanting to do this for a while now, and while she was standing next to someone tall. It was the perfect arrangement.

Shuri turned around with a quirked brow, only managing to catch a glimpse of her friend before he yelled out, "The floor is lava!" The Princess yelped, (though she would deny it later) and leapt onto Strange. Holding on like a koala, while Peter cackled from his spot on the roof.   
The doctor just sighed at them and stepped away once Shuri had let go.   
For now he would leave the two walking disasters to get comfortable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, (you got detention), after this chapter, we have one (1) more filled with f l u f f s t u f f   
> s'not going to be very detailed because reasons, but i hope y'all enjoy it anyways.

**Author's Note:**

> The things also wont have consistent length because yes. Im sorry- i have no clue what im doing lmfao


End file.
